Friday photo: Hugh Mathesons

The photo above was kindly lent to us by Donna’s uncle, Donald Carmichael, and shows the Lewis Bakery and Provision Store owned by Hugh Matheson. The building is now McNeils pub and has retained many of its external features, particularly noticeable now thanks to its recent renovation. The photograph shows the complete staff of the bakery, from owner to delivery boy to baker and if you look closely, to collie!

McNeils and this photo were the subject of a attempted rephotograph by myself and Donna earlier this week, and I have to say it is harder than it looks! Unusually for Lewis it was the bright sun and not the rain that made our attempts laughable, but we will try again later today, and I promise to post our result next week.

But until then I want to ask our more eagle eyed readers if they can spot anything fishy about this photograph. If you can, leave a comment or e-mail tasglann@cne-siar.gov.uk .

2 Responses to Friday photo: Hugh Mathesons

Hugh Matheson’s of Stornoway
A comment from a friend regarding ‘the Fortum & Mason’s of Stornoway’ led me to explore the early years of Hugh Matheson & his family. For reasons that will become clear, I have started in 1901:

I am reasonably confident that these records display Hugh’s location at the time of each census with the exception of that taken in 1851. There are no other Ross-shire born Hugh Matheson’s who appear to ‘fit’ yet the person in the census of 1851 is female but of precisely the same age.
Possibly, Hugh and Hughina were twins, but the Old Parish Register only records Hugh Matheson, born on the 27th of January 1844 in Stornoway, and there are no records of a Hughina Matheson born anywhere in Scotland between 1842 and 1846. A further complication occurs because the 7 year-old Hughina is listed at the head of the children despite having an older sibling. It is a bit of a mystery but, whilst interesting in itself, need not distract us from the ‘story’ of Shoemaker’s son Hugh Matheson who became the founder of, according to my source, Stornoway’s finest emporium!
Paula